Improvement in seat-locks for vehicles



' W. B. ALLEN. Seat-Look for Vehicles.

Patented Sept. 17. 1878.

gm 7 ATTORNEY I I I NES ES I MPETE-RS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPflER, WASHXNGTON. D (L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- \VlLLIAll/I B. ALLEN, OF ORLEANS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAT- LOCKS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20 S,l36, dated September 17,1878; application filed July 23 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. ALLEN, of Orleans, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Seat Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference bein ghadto the accompanying drawings,which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in vehicle-seat locks, and is designed to provided means whereby the seat is prevented from any liability of tipping backward, as is common with movable seats. The lock or fastening is of such a character that it necessitates the tipping forward of the seat in order to disconnect its engagement with the device which prevents it from being moved in a horizontal line to and fro on the bearing-surfaces for the seat-supports.

The invention consists in providing the seatsupports with vertically-inclined braces, secured thereto at their upper extremities, while their lower extremities project forwardly, and are adapted to engage with suitable fastenin gs secured to the side body of the wagon.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aview, in front perspective, of a seat embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, in perspective, of a seatsupport, detached. Fig. 3 is a modification view.

The seat-support A is provided with the vertically-inclined brace B, secured thereto at its upper extremity, while its lower extremity projects forwardly, and is formed with a rightangular lug, b, which is adapted to engage with the under surface of the seat-supporting rail 0 in a vertical plane passing in front of the seat-support. The bearing-edge of the seatsupport is provided with one or more studs, (1,. (preferably two,)which project-vertically below the surface of said bearing-edge, and are adapted to engage with the bearing-surface of the seat-supporting rail. These studs may, if desired, be quite small, so as to provide a frictional surface,which, by reason of the weight on the seat, will render it impossible to move the latter in either horizontal direction on the rail; or, if otherwise desired, they may be of greater dimension and fit into corresponding holes formed in the rail. In either instance the seat is securely held against accidental displacement, and it cannot be forced in sliding movement upon the supporting-rail.

In order to allow the removal of the seat from the wagon or the change of its position in the same, it is necessary to tip the seat forward, and thus permit the frictional engagement existing between the studs on the seatsupports and the supporting-rail to be disconnected. The seat can vbe slid along with the forward ends of its supports having bearing upon their respective supporting-rails until the desired point of position is obtained, when the seat is allowed to rest in even. horizontal line, with the entire length of the bearing-surfaces of its supports resting on the rails. The studs in these supports find new engagement with said rails, and the seat is held secure in position, as before.

This construction and adaptation of parts obviates all tendency on the part of the seat to tip backward, as is now the common fault with movable seats; and a movement the ex act reverse of that which looked the seat in engagement with its supporting rails is necessary to dislodge or change its position.

In the modification view of my invention a form of construction is shown adapted to lock a seat bythe same principle of fastening to the wagon or vehicle when no seat-supporting rails are used and the seat-supports have bearing directly on the top edge of the side body,

D, of the wagon. In this instance the brace B is formed without its lateral lug b, and, instead thereof, it is formed with a recess or slot, b, in the upper edge of its forwardly-inclined extremity. This slot engages with a staple, pin, or other suitablefastening device, E, secured to the side body of the w agon, and accomplishes the same purpose attained by the engagement of the lug b with the seat-supportin grail. Therear body of each of the seat-supports is provided with a vertical cleat, F, secured thereto, and projecting downwardly, so as to pass through a staple, G, which latter is secured to the inner side of the wagon-body. This cleat-and-staple engagement accomplishes the same function obtained in the first-described form of construction, by the engagement of the studs (0 with the seat-supporting rail.

It is apparent that the same result is obtained by these two mechanical adaptations of the principle of my invention to a'seat supported upon rails and to a seat supported directly on the top edge of the side body of a wagon. In both instances the vertically-inclining braces, which project forwardly of the seat and are suitably engaged with devices which secure them to the wagon or other vehicle, prevent the seat from tipping backward; and also, in order to remove or change the position of the seat, the latter must first be tipped forward, when it can then be slid into new position or removed from the wagon, as described.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as-new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A seat-lock consisting in the combination, with a seat-support, of a forwardly-inclined brace, which engages with the under side of the seat-supporting rail, said support being also provided with vertical studs or projections depending from its bearing-surface, and

adapted to engage with the upper side of said supporting-rail, substantially as set forth.

In testimonythat I claimthe foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of J uly 1878.

WILLIAM B. ALLEN.

In presence of- PLINY J. SEXTON, D. ANDERSON. 

